MPs vote for Devonwall

Watching MPs voting now on the Bill which would deliver a referendum on the Alternative Vote system, reduce the number of MPs, make all constituencies the same size and force Cornwall to surrender its historic political border with Devon - looks as if the government will get a majority of around 60. Details once Hansard has confirmed. I spoke to North Cornwall's Dan Rogerson this morning who told me that while he planned to vote in favour of the Bill at its Second Reading, the battle against a "Devonwall" constituency would now go to committee - but he was reluctant to speculate about how he would vote at the full Third Reading, should a pro-Cornwall amendment fail.

No Free Schools in Cornwall

The Department for Education tells me none of the 16 "Free Schools" to be announced by way of Written Answer in Parliament today is in Cornwall. None in Devon either.

Neil Burden says "sorry" to Cornwall's forced child migrants

Cornwall Council's cabinet member with responsibility for children's services, councillor Neil Burden, will be on BBC Radio Cornwall tomorrow morning apologising to scores of people who were once children in the care of Cornwall's social services, and who were forcibly sent to live in Australia, mainly in the 1950s and 60s although a handful of cases were still being recorded in the mid 1970s. Many of these children were beaten and abused and forced to work as little more than slaves, and for more than 20 years Cornwall continued with the deportations despite concern at the highest levels of government in the UK. Neil's apology took guts and determination to navigate the County Hall bureaucracy. Well done.

Nothing happening here...

More than two months now since Cornwall councillors asked officials to mail Nick Clegg about second home voters. Still no letter has been sent.

Voting reform gets messy

A new spectator sport kicks off on Monday - who can devise the most entertaining way of getting MPs to vote against things they are really in favour of (or in favour of things they are really against)?

I will be surprised if on Monday evening any of Cornwall's MPs fail to vote in favour of the Bill which in its present form would abolish the historic political boundary with Devon.

Now the Green Party MP Caroline Lucas tells The New Statesman magazine:

"As MPs start the second reading of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill on 6 September, I am tabling an amendment that would rewrite the referendum question to allow people to choose from a wider range of voting systems, including properly proportional options such as the additional member system (used in elections for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Greater London Assembly) and the single transferable vote (used in Northern Ireland)."

This means Lib Dem MPs, as members of the coalition, could be whipped into voting against the sort of proportional representation voting system they actually campaigned for in their election manifesto. Funny old world...

Hot shot bloggers

Congratulations to Cornwall councillors Alex Folkes and Andrew Wallis, who have both made it into the top 30 "Councillor Blogger" chart run by Total Politics. Alex has leapt a truly impressive 24 places, from 29 last year to number 5 this year. Andrew is in for the first time at 28. It doesn't matter whether or not you agree with what they have to say - both blogs are an entertaining source of information and make a valuable contribution to the body politic. Well done lads!

Bill Jenkin remanded til 20th September

Cornwall councillor Bill Jenkin, accused of sexual assault, has been further remanded on bail to West Cornwall magistrates until 20th September. Councillor Jenkin did not appear at court today and no plea was taken.